Defense, goaltending power Compuware to Pee Wee Minor state title

By Stefan Kubus –

As cliché as it is, the Compuware Pee Wee Minor squad proved that defense still wins championships. And that may even be an understatement.

Compuware defeated Honeybaked 4-1 to win the MAHA State Championship Sunday afternoon, largely in part to stellar goaltending and an undying will to block shots.

“We’ve been talking about that all year – we call that competing,” said head coach Todd Krygier. “Blocking shots, winning races, winning battles, and that’s one of the reasons we won. Our guys came and competed tonight.”

It took them a little while to kick start their offensive game, but once they did, there was no looking back.

Compuware had an early power play that featured a Nicky Cloud breakaway and tons of sustained pressure in the offensive zone, but the Honeybaked defense and goaltender Zachary Borgiel staved off the attack.

In the second period, Compuware recorded three unanswered goals. First, defenseman Christian Krygier took the puck end-to-end on a great individual rush to put his team on the board.

Honeybaked’s Ryan Sullivan nearly evened things up shortly after the Krygier goal with a beautiful deke, but Compuware netminder Michael Krygier shut the door.

Luke Evo added a rebound goal later in the period for Compuware, and Christian Krygier added a second goal after tipping in a Drew Cooper shot from the point to make 3-0 after two periods.

Honeybaked outshot the opposition 15-13 through two periods, and frustration began to set in, as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty helped set up a 5-on-3 Compuware power play to start the third period.

Honeybaked decided to switch goalies for the third frame, going with Christian Stoever in relief of Borgiel.

Although Compuware began the period with a 5-on-3 for 43 seconds, their own penalty troubles sunk in, beginning a steady stream of third-period penalty killing. Facing a Honeybaked 5-on-3 power play for 1:20 halfway through the period – a prime opportunity for the team in black and gold to stake a comeback – Compuware took another penalty to extend their time on the penalty kill.

That’s when goaltender Michael Krygier and the team defense took over for the rest of the period, shutting down Honeybaked en route to the victory. The Compuware goaltender nearly earned the shutout, but that was spoiled with 4.7 seconds left in regulation for a 4-1 final score.

Krygier took home the MVP honors for an outstanding 28-save effort. But the overall team defense easily could have won the award, too.

Although Honeybaked outshot Compuware, 29-19, Compuware had all players, forwards and defense, sacrificing the body to block shots left and right. In the third period alone, it felt like Compuware easily blocked an additional 15 shots.

Head coach Todd Krygier is enjoying quite the successful coaching stretch. Just last season, he guided the Novi Wildcats to their first ever Michigan Division I state high school championship. Krygier was named Division I Coach of the Year. But when it comes to winning a championship in the AAA ranks with his sons or winning a high school title, they’re both equally as sweet.

“It’s fantastic whether it’s high school or AAA,” said Krygier. “You’re working with a group of guys. It’s not better in one place or the other.”